Agreed.Originally Posted by BeachRed
People here need to stop comparing TFC to the Leafs.
Agreed.
People here need to stop comparing TFC to the Leafs.
why? ... its hard not to compare the 2 when they have the same owners and same style of management. i think its a very vailid point.
If you guys going to compare those 2, then you should also include Toronto Raptors as well. They too are owned by MLSE. How come no one here compares TFC to Toronto Raptors? If anything, TFC and Toronto Raptors have more things in common than the Leafs.
I hope this isn't true. Man I miss a lot by not being in Ontario...
He took up hardly any cap space and was supposedly doing good for the reserves.
I dunno.
I'm soo out of the loop. lol
http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/conte...A01%3A16%3A760
Ex-City star Darrren Huckerby was expected to open talks with Toronto FC yesterday about a possible move to the Canadian MLS side.
Toronto general manager, former Scotland star Mo Johnston, said that Huckerby had some “slight concerns” about the state of the club's playing surface with regards to his injury situation, but believed they were not serious.
Huckerby, who was not offered a new deal at Norwich this summer, has been in Canada with striker Paul Dickov, released by Manchester City this week.
“We had Darren here for two or three days and he loved it as well,” Johnston said. “He's shown a major interest in coming here.”
Huckerby is also wanted by the San Jose Earthquakes and if he decided to choose California ahead of Canada, a deal would have to be thrashed out Toronto, who would receive compensation.
However, Johnston believes Huckerby has an open mind .
“We'll take it from there,” he said. “It's not a done deal. It's not a gimme that Huckerby will go to San Jose and it's not 100 per cent that he will come here. But we're interested.”
Ü QPR expect to complete the signing of Kaspars Gorkss - linked with Norwich earlier in the summer - early next week after revealing the Blackpool defender had agreed personal terms with the club.
Email A Friend
Sport: Latest headlines on Evening News 24
Norwich City and local leagues: Latest headlines on Pin
Wrong its not.
MLSE is pouring money into this team where they can pour money into.
They started an Academy (which competes in the CSL)
They have hired ALOT of coaches with great past experience and are paying them good money.
They have hired scouts.
Why would they go out of their way to do such things if they didnt want the team to succeed?
As someone else mentioned. OFCOURSE THEY WANT TO MAKE MONEY THEY ARE A COMPANY.
You know how you make money in sports?
YOU WIN
Look at Real Madrid, Man U, Bayern Munich (yech), Barcelona, Inter and AC Milan. They are big clubs that make a ton of money year after year on jersey sales and other ish.
Why?
BECAUSE THEY WIN
People like to support teams that win and you make alot more money as a team that wins as opposed to teams that dont. Why would MLSE sabotage a new team especially when they are trying to a) attract supporters and b) keep the ones they have?
Once again, as someone else mentioned TFC SUPPORTERS ARE NOT LEAF SUPPORTERS.
Yes, and especially if the potential is there to make even more money by winning even more.
If TFC win they can play in the CONCACAF Champions League - the further they get, the more money the team makes. If they get more and more popular, the more merchandise they can sell, and, though I hate to say it, the truth is the more demand there is for tickets the more they can raise the price - we'll need to stay in them about this.
The biggest difference between the Leafs and TFC - besides the fans - is the potential. The Leafs have maxed out their earning potential. There's just no more money to be made from the team, or the sport. Win the cup, don't win the cup, the difference in revenue is miniscule. Maybe the NHL will form some kind of Champions League with European club teams but maybe not. there's just nowhere else to go with hockey.
But for TFC, this is just the beginning. For MLSE it's just the beginning, but clearly they see the potential. The talk of buying an English team shows it. I don't think MLSE really had any idea what they were getting into with soccer - well, it was speculation and it might not have worked out - but now they see soccer will make them more money over the next thirty years than hockey will.
There's really not much to compare between the Leafs and TFC.
no mlse no tfc....end of story.....
Ok thats settled then. No more Leafs and TFC comparisons please. It hurts my eyes to read it.
According to this blogger it seems that Huckerby may also be considering staying home altogether:
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/spo...ansfer-sp.html
First of all they use MLS rumours as a source, so you know there's no point paying attention to it. And his "sources" in Manchester were a rumour a few days ago that he might sign for his home club, Lincoln. But given what a step down that would be for him ability-wise, how much less money it would be, and the fact that he has vowed publicly on several occasions to never play in ENgland again unless for Norwich, I think this is all just conjecture and horseshit.
According to this blogger it seems that Huckerby may also be considering staying home altogether:
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/spo...ansfer-sp.html
Plus, I don't think Mo is bullshitting -- he probably wants real grass as much as the next guy, so if Huckerby's turf concern were major, he'd make a bigger deal of it publicly, instead of saying it's only a "slight" concern.
It's true. And if he thinks playing for the reserves isn't helping his development enough - then maybe it's best if he finds a team where he can get more real minutes - even if it is a lower league in Europe.
That would basically amount to shitting on his employed publicly. I doubt he'd go down that road.
Everyone knows turf is hurting the club right now, he doesn't want to blow it up even further. He's doing the right thing by understating it. When Ronnie O left because of the turf, you didn't hear much about that from the club.
Good news maybe for Huckerby here?
From San Jose's BS board:
Huckerby was at the HDC yesterday for the Chivas game. Yallop was giving him a
pre-game tour. Yallop looked really excited. Huckerby, not so much.
Yeah, and the highlights from the game against Chivas are pretty woeful, with a pretty spotty looking crowd.
I agree with you... hence using the lead "blogger" as opposed to "article". That and the Orlando Sentinel is one of the more consistent reporting sources for MLS.
Anyhoo... in regards to the turf... I think any player could rip it all they wanted to and no other clubs would really care that much simply because that probably only alienates himself from TFC and about 2 other pro clubs worldwide. He won't be short on offers if he decided to stay home.
What's next for Lombardo????
I think he can have an impact in the CPSL!!!
then where is our DP? Columbus, LA, Kansas, New York, Chicago, DC all have DPs, some more than 1.... where is ours? Huckerby or Dickov? Both of those are DI$COUNT DPs!
btw, im not a leafs fan i just compare them because i see the similarities.
So we should sign a DP just for the sake of signing one?
Or should we sign one that will make a difference and contribute to the team?
Has it occured to you that perhaps the right DP hasnt come along yet?
Really at this point in time i think youll have a hardtime defending man management as Mo has done a fantastic job.
I have every faith in the world that MLSE will pony up the funds for a DP WHEN the proper one comes along. Nothing wrong with signing discount DPs as they can still be effective AND they leave room to sign other players and PERHAPS a real DP.
I agree they will dish out money whn the proper one comes aroung
If mlse was only in it for the money they would have signed a DP regardless of who it was just for the jersey sales and they havent.
One more point to dwell on.
Three words - "Additional Jersey Sales"
You know when we sign a DP this will ultimately effect jersey sales in a very positive way. (i.e. That English guy playing for the LAG. BTW - Any parent that buys his kid an English Guy LAG jersey in Toronto should be shot! This is the perfect opportunity to look at your kid and say "You did not just ask me to do that!" in disbelief ... Just my opinion)
Last edited by TicTacTabarnack; 07-07-2008 at 01:20 PM. Reason: typo
i'm not criticizing Mo, he's turned the team around completely and made them respectable. and now that they are in a playoff race they need a DP to make the team better and secure that playoff spot. im actually criticizing MLSE because i have a feeling they've givin Mo a limit on the amout of cash they want to spend on a DP and thats why he's going after old discount players. If he had complete autonomy (like brian colangelo) we’d already have a hell of a DP.
That's a valid point ... I wonder what type of Budget he's been given for the DP?
So you dont know for sure that MLSE has given Mo a limit on a DP signing.
There is nothing to say that this has happened either presently or in the past.
If anything signs point in the opposite direction and you want to maintain your stance.
Ok.
Sure.
i said thats just what i think and nothing more. its just my opinion, i could be wrong. but i base it on the way MLSE loves to micro manage sports teams and things that have happened in the past.
As a long time leaf supporter and a TFC fan....let it go mate
MLSE made some management issues in a market that demands playoffs every season and tried to do that. It cost the leafs their youth through trading draft picks and prospects. Thats why the leafs have sucked.....
TFC have two first round draft picks this year and had two last year and two first rounds before that. They have the youngest player in MLS in Ibbe. They sign older players because thats the nature of league at the moment.
As for the DP, TFC were in the running for Shola Ameobi up to about 2.5-3 million pounds. Thats about 5-6 million USD. Which means about one defensemen on the leafs. Big whooping deal, compared to the jersey sales, tv ratings and sponsorship MLSE can crank out for a player with a name. And you're probably wondering why MLSE would think to chase a guy like Shola because he's not a big name.....hmmm
MLSE has learned their lesson from the Raptors, seeing dividends from a great GM. So, the leafs fire JFJ and hire the Silver Fox and create a clean slate atmosphere. Mo Johnston moved himself out of a coaching position. Structure across all the organization is their new aim. Bolstering management and leaning on the expertise of the management
Stating MLSE is all about the money is pretty mindnumblingly stupid because its a business and if its not profitable, then they have to sell it to a oil tycoon or a gun runner billionaire who wants something to play with. Just admit TFC and the Raps are in good hands and let the leaf hate out of your heart.
Last edited by DigzTFC!; 07-07-2008 at 03:25 PM.
Perhaps the reason that we have not signed a DP has nothing to do with money. Moving to North America and especially Canada would not be regarded as a highly effective career move by most potenital DP's. Playing on a plastic pitch may also not help in a lot of potential cases.
Also, it doesn't make a ton of sense from a business perspective to greatly overpay for someone just to fill a spot unless there is a clear return on investment. Someone already mentioned jersey sales... I think the biggest potential is in TV contracts personally.
Either way, you need to find the best value for you money which takes time, if you are going to spend 3x what a guy is worth you need to make sure that something is lined up to pay off. They won't make any more money on ticket sales, so the revenue has to come from somewhere.
look i HOPE im wrong. i dont want TFC to be managd like the leafs, im just saying thats what it looks like. but i do hope im wrong cuz that would be the best thing for TFC.
Last edited by Kickit09; 07-07-2008 at 03:35 PM.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
